1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and equipment providing assistance to the physically handicapped. More specifically, the present invention is a sock donning system for assisting persons of limited mobility in the donning of socks, stockings, and related footwear.
2. Description of the Related Art
Persons of limited mobility can frequently perform most of the daily tasks required for normal living, including preparing meals, driving, and other routine chores. However, one of the most basic skills required in daily living is often difficult for persons of limited mobility to perform, i.e., donning various articles of clothing. Upper garments are generally not too much of a problem, with front-opening clothing and various extensions for rear opening buttons, zippers and the like being readily available. Skirts, trousers, and the like are also generally not excessively difficult for the person of limited mobility to don and remove, depending upon the degree of impairment of the person.
However, the act of working with the lower extremities, as when donning shoes, socks, and the like, can be impossible without assistance for many persons of limited mobility. The problem may be temporary, e.g., a knee or back injury that prevents complete flexure of the knee or waist, or chronic due to age or disease. Whatever the reason, the requirement that such a person have assistance for what would otherwise be a simple and trivial act can be truly discouraging and demeaning for a person who has been independent of such help up to that time. While various devices for assisting persons in donning socks, stockings, and the like have been developed in the past, they tend either to be ineffective or overly complex.
Thus a sock donning system solving the aforementioned problems is desired.